This year especially

Wasps challenge the local fire departments

The mild spring made it possible: this year there are more wasps in Salzburg than there have been for several years.

(Bild: Z6302 Andreas Lander)

More buzzers than ever! They are not actually responsible for this - and yet Salzburg's firefighters are called out every day to deal with nests. 

The impression is not deceptive! Even scientists confirm it: There are more wasps in Salzburg this summer than there have been for many years. The mild but humid spring weather is probably the reason for this. The temperatures in spring favored the proliferation of insects, which in turn feed the wasps.

The massive wasp year poses challenges for many fire departments in the state. Again and again, the Floriani receive requests to remove nests. In some places, there are even several requests a day. The men from the Pfarrwerfen fire department had their 100th call-out this year at the beginning of August. "Often because of wasps," local fire brigade commander Peter Buchsteiner told the "Krone" at the time.

The fire departments were called out every day to deal with wasps.

(Bild: FF Wultschau)

Despite their bad reputation, wasps are useful animals.

(Bild: JOERG SARBACH)

However, the firefighters are not actually responsible for such operations. "There are exterminators for that," confirms Günther Trinker, the regional fire service commander. However, there are too few professional pest controllers. And: "In the municipalities, contact with the fire department is very close." The firefighters can charge for removing wasp nests, even if this is handled differently from place to place. "This wasp year is certainly a noticeable and additional burden for us," says Trinker.

In Salzburg's hospitals, there has been no significant increase in treatments for wasp stings - at least so far. "It's no worse than usual," says Thomas Hawranek, Head of the Allergy Outpatient Clinic at Salzburg University Hospital.

A ray of hope: Researchers are currently predicting that there will be significantly fewer wasps next summer. After all. . .